Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~.Z~9~ !39
--2--
The present invention relates to gas flow control valves.
In a first aspect the invention is concerned with so-called
lung-controlled or demand valves for use in breathing
apparatus, and more particularly valves of the kind in which
the main gas flo~ is regulated in accordance with the pressure
established within a control chamber to which gas is
substantially continuously supplied and from which gas is
vented through a jet orifice at a rate dependent upon
10 deflection of a pressure-responsive member sensitive to the
respiration of the user, whereby the pressure within the
control chamber, and accordingly flow of gas through the valve
to the user, is dependent upon such deflection. A valve of
this kind (referred to hereafter as "of the kind specified")
15 is described in our published Ur.ited ~ingdom Patent
Applica~,ion No 2054207A, whe e a pressure-responsive aiaphragm
is coupled to a separate, resilient control member a portion
of which lies in the path of the jet of gas vented from the
aforesaid control chamber, so that deflection of the diaphragm
20 flexes the control member to vary its spacing from the jet
orifice and thus change the control chamber pressure by its
variable interaction with the gas jet.
It is recognised that a breathing apparatus which is intended
25 to provide respiratory protection in toxic or otherwise
inrrespirable environments should most desirably operate in a
so-called "positive pressure" mode, that is to say where the
demand valve of the apparatus is arrangsd to supply the
breathing gas at a rate to maintain a super-ambient pressure
30 within the face mask (or equivalent breathin~ interface means)
throughout ~he respiratory cycle. Thus, the valve is set to
open whenever the mask pressure whic'n it senses falls below a
certain elevated threshold value, ~in contrast to conventional
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'`negative pressure" operation which requires a su~-ambient
pressure in the mask before the valve opens). This is to
ensure that any leakage which may occur (eg from an imperfect
face seal) can only be outwards from the system, so there is
no risk that any ambient air will be breathed in under these
conditions. The use of positive pressure breathing apparatus
can, however, lead ~o certain procedural problems. In this
respect it is standard practice for users of breathing
apparatus to don their apparatus and turn on the breathing
10 gas supply to check that the apparatus is functioning
correctly in all respects, prior to entry into a ~azardous
zone, particular attention being paid to the sealing of the
lace mask edge to the user's face ~typically performed with a
pungent smoXe source held in proximity to the sealing area).
15 ~ley may then have to stand by for a period before actually
entering the zone. Especially in the case of self-contained
breathing apparatus, which have a limited gas-storage
capacity, it is undesirable that the supply of breathing gas
should be needlessly depleted during such stand-by periods or
20 at any other time when a breathing apparatus user does not
actually req~lire respiratory protection. In order to
conserve the breathlng gas supply in such circumstances, and
a an alternative to shutting off the gas at source, the user
of a negative pressure apparatus could temporarily disconnect
25 the demand valve from his mask and breathe normally, the
disconnected valve then sensing ambient pressure in place of
the mask pressure and thus remaining closed. ~owever, if the
same was to be a~tempted with a demand valve set to operate
in a positive pressure mode, the valve would respond to the
30 sensed ambient pressure by opening fully and continuously,
with the result that more gas would be wasted than hy
continuing to breathe with the apparatus intact.
In our above-mentioned ~pplication ~o 2054207A a demand valve
35 set for positive pressure operation is equipped with
lZ~9~89
--4--
a manually-o~erable device which is arranged to apply an
additlonal spring bias to the diaphragm and control member of
the valve at the selection of the user, to switch the valve to
an 'OFF' condition notwithstanding that the sensed pressure is
below the normal threshold value. The present invention,
seeks in one aspect to provide a demand valve which, in use,
is set automatically to a positive pressure mode of operation
when connected to a facemask or equivalent, and which
automatically switches to an 'OFF' condition when disconnected
10 therefrom.
Broadly, therefore, in this aspect the invention resides in a
demand valve adapt.ed to control a main gas flow in response to
sensed gas pressure and adapted for dPmountable connection to
15 an inlet of a bre~thing interface means, including a mechanism
adapte~ to apply a bias to the valve such that in a first
position of that mechanism the valve provides a positive
pressure mode ~f operation and in a secona position of that
mechanism the main gas flow i5 shut off if the valve senses
20 ambient pressure, the said mechanism being engageable with the
breathing interface means such that when the valve is
connected as aforesaid the mechanism is constrained to be in
itfi said first position and when the valve is disconnected the
mechani.sm is adapted to move to its said second position.
More especially the invention resides in a demand valve of the
kind specified adapted for demountable connection to an inlet
of a breathing interface means, wherein the pressure-
responsive member is coupled to a control member a portion of
30 which lies in the path of the jet of gas vented from the
control chamber, whe-reby in use of the valve deflection of the
pressure-responsive member in response to respiration of the
user r,loves the control member to vary the spacing of said
portion thereof from the jet orifice thus to change the
~9~
control chamber pressure by its variable interaction with the
gas jet, the valve including a mechanism adapted to apply a
variable force to -the control member such that in a first
position o~ that mechanism said portion of the control member
5 is ~iased away from the jet orifice so as to provide a
po~itive pressure mode of operation and in a second position
of that mechanism said portion of the control member is biased
further towards the jet orifice such that with the pressure-
responsive member sensing ambient pressure the control chamber
10 pressure is sufficient to prevent main gas flow through the
valve, the said mechanism being engageable with the breathing
interface means such that when the valve is connected as
aforesaid the mechanism is constrained to be in its said first
position and when the valve is disconnected the mechanism is
15 ada2ted to move to its said second position.
In a preferred embodiment the control member is in the form of
an essentially two-armed spring, (which may be a single-piece
element or assembled from more than one piece), a first arm of
20 which i.s coupled ~o the pressure-responsive member and
provides that portion of the control member which lies in the
- path of the jet of gas vented from the control chamber, the
said mechanism including a member which is arranged to engage
variably with the second arm of the control member thereby to
25 bia3 as aforesaid through the second arm said portion of the
first arm of the control chamber.
In a second aspect the invention is concerned with a valve
assembly which may be embodied in a demand valve of the kind
30 specified to control the main gas flow in response to the
pressure in t'ne control chamber, but which may also be
~;219~9
of more general utility in the field of pressure-responsive
gas flow control. More particularly in this aspect the
invention is concerned with a pressure-responsive valve
assembly of the kind comprising a flexible valve disc bounded
on one side 5herein called the front side) by means providing
a face against which the disc is adapted to seat and through
which there opens a central gas inlet and one or more gas
outlets radially outwards of the gas inlet, the disc being
bounded on its other side (herein called the reverse side) by
10 a control chamber, and an orifice being provided in the disc
through which gas can bleed from the said inlet to the control
chamber. In use of such a valve assembly the disc reacts to
the difference in thrust generated by the gas inlet pressure
acting on its front side (over the cross-sectional area o~ tne
15 inlet) and by the control chamber pressure acting on its
reverse side (the latter being established by the gas bleed
through said orifice and such other pressure-control means as
may be provided). While the thrust on the reverse side of the
disc exceeds that on its front side the ai5c remains seated on
20 the said face to isolate the gas outlet(s) from the inlet. A
sufficient drop in the control chamber-pressure to decrease
the reverse-side thrust below that acting on the front side,
however, flexes the disc away from its seat to provide
corresponding gas flow from the inlet to the outlet(s).
It is vital to the proper operation of such a valve assembly
that gas should not lea~ from one side of the disc to the
other except by means of t'ne orifice provided for that
purpose; the valve disc must therefore provide a reliable
30 gas-tight seal at its periphery throughout the service life of
the assembly. At the same time it is desirable to employ a
flat valve disc without complex sealing formations at its
periphery, both for simplicity in manufacture and to ensu e
~Zl9~9
close control of its flexural. properties. Accordingly this
aspect of the invention proposes ~ valve assembly
incorporating a flat valve disc which is made with a diameter
slightly greater than that of the surrounding valve structure
against which the periphery of the disc is adapted to seal, so
that the disc is self-stressing to press against that
structure ~hen assembled, the disc thereby adopting a bowed
form with the convex side thereof towards the face through
~hi.ch the gas inlet and outlet~s) open, and the said face
being correspondingly dished to provide a seat for the bowed
10 valve disc.
These and other aspects of the ~resent invention will now be
more particularly described, by way of example, wi.th reference
to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional side
lS elevation of a demand valve as connected into the inlet of a
breathing apparatus facemask.
Referring to the drawing, the valve has a moulded~plastics
body 1 providing a main cylindrical cavity 2, which defines
20 the outlet chamber of the valve through which breathing gas is
supplied to the facem2sk, and a smaller cylindrical cavity 3
perpendicularly offset from the cavity 2. Ports 4 are
provided th~ough the wall which separates the two cavities,
f~r gas flow as will be described below. The valve is
25 connected into the tubular inlet fitting 5 of a facemask, with
the outer end face of the chamber 2 pressed against a ring
seal 6 in the fitting. The valve is fixed by means of 2
threa~ded ring 7 captive on the body 1 and screwed onto an
external thread ~ of the inlet fitting, in the illustrated
30 embodiment the fitting S also having an internal thread 9 for
the alternative connection of a standard respirator (filter)
cartridge.
--8--
An insert 10 is retained in the cavity 3 with a gas-tîght seal
provided by an 0-ring 11, the outer end of this insert
providing a union 12 for connection to a hose (not shown)
which leaas air at a regulated pressure of, say, 9 bars to the
S valve from an associated high pressure cylinder and first-
stage pressure-reducer. Air supplied to the union 12 enters a
central inlet passage 13 of the insert 10 terminating at the
inner end face 14 of the insert. An annular outlet port 15
surrounds the passage 13 at this end of the insert and
10 liXe~ise opens through the face 14, the port 15 also being in
permanent communication with the ports 4. Admission of air
f~om the passage 13 to the port 15 (and thence via the ports 4
and chamber 2 to the facemask), is controlled by an
elastomeric valve disc 16 retained between the insert 10 and
15 the inner end face 17 of the cavity 3.
The element 16 is moulded as a flat disc with a diameter
slightly greater than the internal diameter of the cavity 3.
Consequently, when the disc is assembled into the cavity it is
20 stressed to press out radially against the surrounding surface
of the cavity, thereby to provide a reliable gas-tight seal at
the periphery o the disc, and adopts a bowed form as
indicated in the drawing. ~le proximity of the end face 17 of
the cavity 3 to the disc 16 in the assembled state ensures
25 that the disc must bow with its conve~ side towards the 'ace
14 of the insert 10 which, as shown, is correspondingly dished
to receive the bowed disc. More particularly, the portion of
the face 14 radially outwards o the port 15 has a
comp]ementary profile to the corresponding portion of the disc
30 16 to provide a snug support for the disc in its seated
condition, while the portion of the face 14 between the
passage 13 and port 15 is machined flat to define a sealing
edge 18 with which the disc 16 engages when seated to isolate
the port 15 from the passage 13.
ff ~ 91~
_9_
Flexure of the disc 16 away from its illustrated seated
position to provid~ communication between the passage 13 and
port 15 is dependant upon variation of a control pressure
established in a small chamber 1~ existing ~etween the disc
S and the inner end of the cavity 3. More particularly, the
disc 16 responds to the difference in thrust generated by the
pressure of the air supplied to passage 13 acting over the
central region of the front side of the disc, and b~ the
control pressure within the chamber 19 acting over the full
10 ar~a of the reverse side of the disc.
The pressure within chamber 19 is established by the
continuous bleed of air into that chamber from the p~ssage 13
through an orifice in a spool 20 held in the disc, and the
15 continuous venting of air from that chamber into chamber 2, at
a variable .rate, through a jet orifice 21. In the latter
respect, an arm 22 of an essentially two-armed spring member
23 lies in the path of the jet of air escaping from the
orif.ice 21 such that pressure ~uild-up in the chamber 19
20 varies in dependence upon movement of the arm 22 towards or
away from the orifice 21. When the spacing of the arm from
the orifice is decreased, the rate of venting of air from the
chamber l9 is decreased by the interaction of t'ne arm with the
air jet and the back pressure acting in the chamber 19 on the
25 disc 16 increases and so reduces, or blocks entirely, the main
flow of gas past the di.sc 16 and into the chamber 2 from t'ne
ports 4. Increase of that spacing, on the other hand,
relieves the pressure in t'ne chamber 1~ by increasing the rate
of venting via the orifice 21, so enabling or increasins flow
30 of gas past t'ne disc 16. At no time, however, does tihe arm 22
come into mechanical contact with, or entirely seal off ~he
flow t'nrough, the orifice 21.
~2~9l89
--10--
The spring member 23 in this embodiment is of two-piece
construction, comprising a strip of, say, 0.3mm thick
stainless steel defining the arm 22 and a strip of, say,
0.125mm thick bervllium copper deining the other arm 24. The
two arms have respective 'V' formations 22A and 24A which nest
within one another with the 'V' of the arm 24 having a greater
included angle as manufactured in order to ensure a tight fit
within the corresponding formation of arm 22. The arm 24
presses the apex of the 'V' 22A into a corner defined between
10 the side wall of chamber 2 and an adjacent internal shoulder
25, to define a pivot point for the arm 22. The free end of
the arm 22 is in abutment with the thicknened central region
26 of an elastomeric diaphragm 27. This diaphragm is clamped
to the body 1 around its periphery by an external collar 28,
15 to respond to the difference between the pressure in the
chamber 2 and the ambient pressure to which the diaphragm is
exposed on its si~e remote from the chamber 2. Reduction of
the pressure within the cha~ber 2 during inhalation by a user
draws the diaphragm inwards to pivot the arm 22 away from the
20 orifice 21 so that air is supplied through the ports 4 to the
chamber 2 and the user as previousl~ described. Build up of
pressure in the chamber at the termination of inhalation and
during exhalation (the facemask includes a separate exhalation
valve, not shown, for venting exhalea gas) deflects the
25 diaphragm outwards and allows the arm 22 to pivot back towards
the orifice 21, to decrease or shut-off the flow through ports
4, unaer the inherent bias of the spring member.
The spacing of the arm 22 from the orifice 21 is initially
30 set, under specified test conditions, so as to achieve a so-
called "positive-pressure" mode of operation for all
appropriate breathing rates. ~his setting is achieved through
an adjustment mechanism now to be descri~ed.
~Z~9~~9
The spring arm 24 is bowed away from the '~' portion 24A and
held at its free end in a mounting block 29 which is secured
to the body 1 by a screw 30 and e~tends diametrally part-way
across the chamber 2. More particularly the end of the arm 24
is received in a s]ot 31 in the block 29 and presses therein
upon the head of a pin 32. Although, as described below, the
pitl 32 is capable of sliding movement relative to the block
29, in norrnal operation with the valve connected to the
facemask the pin remains in a fixed position. Intermediate
10 the 'V' 24A and the pin 32 an adjustina member 33 bears upon
the convex side of ~he arm 24. ~he member 33 is of channel
section with the web of the channel engaging the arm 2~ and
its flanses straddling the block 29, where they are journalled
on a pin 34. ~ set screw 35 extends through the block 29 and
15 engages the web of t'ne member 33 such that by turning the
screw in either sense the ad~usting member is pivoted to bear
on the spring arm 24 with greater or less force as
appropriate. Increasing the force with which it so bears
flexes the bowed portion of the arm 2~ 50 as to move the
20 junction point 2~B bet-~een the bowed portion and the 'V' 24A
to the lef~ as viewed in the drawing, thereby pivoting the arm
22 clockwise to increase its spacing from the orifice 21;
slackening the force of the adjusting member on the arm 24 has
the converse effect.
The pin 32 referrea to above, is slidable in a bore in the
block 29 and is enga~ed at its foot end by the ~eb of a
channel-sectioned lever 36, the flanges of which straddle the
bl~ck 29 and are journal]ed on a pin 37. When the valve is
30 connected into the inlet 5 the free ena of the lever 36
engages the sealing ring 6 to pivot the lever into the
position shown, in which the pin 32 is pressed by the lever
eb against the spring arm 24. If the valve is withdrawn from
~z~9~1!39
-12-
the inlet 5, however, it is free to pivot clockwise (as viewed
in the drawing) to a small degree, thereby relaxing the force
of the pin 32 on the arm 24. This in turn allows the bowed
portion of the arm 24 to relax to the extent that the arm 22
5 i5 pivoted anticlockwise, close to the orifice 21. ~y this
means it is provided that the vaLve aiSc 16 is seated to shut
off the main gas flow through the valve, even though by
disconnecting the valve from the inlet 5 the chamber 2 is
exposed to ambient pressure which, if occurring during
10 "positive pressure" operation, would normally cause the ~alve
to open fully. Disconnection o~ the demand valve, therefore,
automatically switches it to an "OFF" mode to conserve the air
supply without having to turn off the supply at source (eg
with a main shut-of valve on the storage cylinder).
15 Reconnection of the valve will move the lever 36 and pin 32
back to the working poition to re-stress the spring arm 24 and
thereby automatically switch the valve back into its positive
pressure mode.
20 As described above there is only a "one-way" coupling between
the diaphragm 27 and the arm 22 brought about by the abutment
of the diaphragm portion 26 with the end of the arm, so that
movement of the arm in the flow-reducing direction is under
the control of its own spring bias and not directly under the
25 control of the diaphragm. This is of advantage in minimising
"bounce" in the arm 22 when the diaphragm deflects outwardly
and in avoiding any risk of the arm being drawn by the
diaphragm into abutment with the orifice 21, with consequent
risk of damage to the arm, in the event of any overpressure in
30 the chamber 2. However, in other embodiments a positive "two-
way" coupling may be more appropriate.
